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Flyers-Penguins will heat up ice in season opener

VOORHEES, N.J. — His long and wavy reddish locks pulled back into a bun, Scottie Hartnell flashed a million-dollar smile during a Friday afternoon Q&A in the middle of the Philadelphia Flyers' practice-rink

VOORHEES, N.J. — With his long, wavy red locks pulled back into a bun, Scottie Hartnell flashed a million-dollar smile during a Friday afternoon interview session in the middle of the Philadelphia Flyers' practice-rink dressing room.

Three questions in, the Pittsburgh Penguins came up.

"It's going to be awesome," Hartnell shot back with enthusiasm. "The energy in our building is going to be through the roof."

This time a week ago, the Flyers were getting ready for training camp. Six days of practice and no preseason games later, players and coaches were united trumpeting they're good and ready to start this lockout-shortened season. And they just love that their hated rivals will be visiting Wells Fargo Center for one of today's three 3 p.m. ET season openers.

The Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings also meet in a clash of the two of the past three Stanley Cup champions, and the Ottawa Senators take on the Winnipeg Jets in an all-Canada matchup. The Flyers-Penguins and Blackhawks-Kings games will be shown on NBC.

Despised in Pittsburgh about as much as Sidney Crosby is in and around Philadelphia, Hartnell threw some gasoline onto a fire that needs none Friday.

"It didn't take me long six years ago to get a hatred for the Pens," said Hartnell, who was traded from the Nashville Predators to the Flyers after the 2006-07 season. "Coming here and seeing Crosby run the show and do what he does, you learn to not like him fast. And I think that goes for all Philadelphians and guys that put on a Flyers jersey."

Crosby and the Pens had their fun taking out the Flyers twice in recent playoff runs — one in a Cup-winning 2008-09 season — but the Flyers issued a payback last spring with a first-round knockout that was dominated by Claude Giroux coming-of-age performance.

"I think it speaks to the person who we just named captain of wanting to make a difference in a game," Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said.

Giroux put on a show scoring three goals and three assists in a Game 2 win, fought Crosby in a Game 3 victory, then topped that with his first shift of the Game 6 clincher by creaming Crosby with an open-ice check 5 seconds after the opening face-off and then scoring 32 seconds in.

"I was just excited to play," Giroux said. "It's not like I'm not excited to play every game, but that was pretty big - playoffs and everything."

Today is pretty big, too, with the NHL finally starting up again after a 3 1/2-month lockout, and the day will be extra special for Giroux, who will wear a captain's "C" for the first time.

The Penguins being in town is the cherry on top.

"We haven't been playing for a while, so might as well start against the Penguins, start against a rival team and get it going," Flyers forward Max Talbot said. "It's not going to be like a Tuesday night in Columbus."

Talbot was the enemy for most of his career and won a Cup in Pittsburgh before switching sides last season, but he's not afraid to admit he still has a lot of friends on the Penguins, especially No. 87, whom he talks to frequently.

"Not this week," Talbot said. "I was there for six years, so it's extra special for me to play the Penguins ... more rewarding when you play them and you beat them."

The Flyers say their ready even though they haven't had a week to prepare.

"It's definitely weird not having an exhibition game or two," Hartnell said. "It's nice to have a couple games to get the kinks out, but I think we've done a great job of practicing and trying to have game situations in practice.

"I do think we're ready. I think everyone put in a lot of hours this week - coaching staff, the video guy, especially us players upstairs (working out) and on the ice. We've all played this game since we were little kids. It's just another game, but it's the first game and, boom-boom, there's going to be lots of emotion, and you just do what you do and you'll get through it."

The Flyers want to do more than get through it. There aren't many people picking them to be a serious Cup contenders, but Laviolette seems to really like this team's potential.

"I am sure there are lots of teams with big ambitions today and big dreams, and we're no different," Laviolette said. "But ultimately, you have to go out on the ice on a regular basis and prove we are worthy of that dream or that ambition.

"I think we are fast. I think we are big. We're strong. I think we will be a good hockey team. But that doesn't mean anything. The proof will be in the pudding (Saturday) afternoon. And from there, we will have to move forward regardless of the result and continue to work at it and improve on it."

After a long wait, it starts today with a doozy of an opener.

"There's not a better team we'd like to play first game," Giroux said.